The Adventures of Will Irving: Automaton Trouble

Chapter 11

"Well, I guess it's just you and me now," Claire said cheerfully to Emily as they stood in the entryway and listened to Will and Max drive away. "Do you want to continue playing?"

"Sure! We can just put Max's pieces away," Emily noted.

Will had just left after having stopped by the house to pick up Max on his way to the automaton factory. Claire and Emily returned to the living room and sat down on the floor around the coffee table where a board game was set up.

"Too bad Max had to leave," Emily said sympathetically. "He was going to win."

Emily removed a few pieces from the board and placed them in the game box.

"It's your turn," Emily said as she handed a pair of dice to Claire.

Claire took the dice, rolled them onto the board, and then proceeded to move one of her pieces on the board.

"I hope Will finds your dad soon," Emily said kindly.

"Me too," Claire responded.

"I bet you miss him," Emily empathized as she took her turn.

"Yeah, I do. It's been almost five months since I last saw him," Claire shared.

"He's been missing that long?" Emily asked with surprise, pausing in the middle of moving her piece.

"No, he's only been missing since yesterday, but I've been away for a while doing research for school. I came home yesterday for a short surprise visit, and that's when I found out he was gone," Claire replied.

"Oh," Emily said, finishing her move. "It's been a long time since I've seen my dad too."

Claire took the dice and hesitated a moment as she looked at Emily.

"He left two years ago," Emily shared.

"That is a long time...I'm sorry," Claire said. "What about your mom?"

Emily quietly got up and walked over to a low cabinet where a framed picture stood on display. She gently picked up the frame and returned to her place next to Claire.

"That's my mom and dad," Emily said as she held out the picture to Claire. "My mom died when I was seven..."

Claire took the frame in her hands and quietly studied the picture.

"Hmmm...I see a little of both of them in you, but I think...yeah, I think I see a little bit more of your mom," Claire said with a smile.

"That's what Will and Henry say," Emily noted, also smiling.

"What was her name?" Claire asked.

"Audrey," Emily answered.

"Audrey...that's a pretty name," Claire complimented. "My mom's name starts with an 'A' too...Autumn. Everyone says I look like my mom too. I miss her a lot...Three years ago, she was at the bank when some men tried to rob it...She was shot and killed..."

"A bank robbery? Three years ago?" Emily said slowly as her eyes grew wide. "That's exactly what happened to my mom!"

"What?!" Claire replied, surprised. "Your mom was there too?"

"Yeah...I read about it in a scrapbook my dad made. The newspaper said that someone robbed the bank and killed a few people. My mom was one of them..." Emily shared.

"What are the chances?" Claire wondered aloud, her eyes clouding slightly.

"I guess we're kind of the same then," Emily quietly noted, interrupting Claire's wandering thoughts. "Except...I've got Will..."

Emily scooted over close to Claire and gave her a big, long hug.

"I know my brother will find your dad...but until he does, you don't need to be alone because you have me," Emily whispered encouragingly in Claire's ear.

"Thank you, Emily," Claire softly replied as she gave Emily a warm squeeze.